cpike.thelastvampire-第2部分

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　〃What　do　you　wonder；　Mr。　Riley？〃
　He　ventures　a　swift　glance　at　me；　he　really　does　not　like　to　look　at　me；　even　though　I　am　very　beautiful。　〃Why　you　go　to　such　extremes　to　remain　invisible；〃　he　says。
　〃It　also　makes　you　wonder　if　I　would　pay　to　stay　invisible；〃　I　say。
　He　acts　surprised。　〃I　didn't　say　that。〃
　〃How　much　do　you　want？〃
　My　question　stuns　him；　yet　pleases　him。　He　does　not　have　to　be　the　first　to　dirty　his　hands。　What　he　does　not　realize　is　that　blood　stains　deeper　than　dirt；　and　that　the　stains　last　much　longer。　Yes；　I　think　again；　he　may　not　have　that　long　to　live。
　〃How　much　are　you　offering？〃　he　ventures。
　I　shrug。　〃It　depends。〃
　〃On　what？〃
　〃On　whether　you　tell　me　who　pointed　you　in　my　direction。〃
　He　is　indignant。　〃I　assure　you　that　I　needed　no　one　to　point　me　in　your　direction。　I　discovered　your　interesting　qualities　all　by　myself。〃
　He　is　lying；　of　that　I　am　positive。　I　can　always　tell　when　a　person　lies；　almost　always。　Only　remarkable　people　can　fool　me；　and　then　they　have　to　be　lucky。　But　I　do　not　like　to　be　fooled…so　one　has　to　wonder　at　even　their　luck。
　〃Then　my　offer　is　nothing；〃　I　say。
　He　straightens。　He　believes　he　is　ready　to　pounce。　Then　my　counteroffer；　Miss　Perne；　is　to　make　what　I　have　discovered　public　knowledge。〃　He　pauses。　〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃
　〃It　will　never　happen。〃〃
　He　smiles。　〃You　don't　think　so？〃
　I　smile。　〃You　would　die　before　that　happened。〃
　He　laughs。　〃You　would　take　a　contract　out　on　my　life？〃
　〃Something　to　that　effect。〃
　He　stops　laughing；　now　deadly　serious；　now　that　we　are　talking；　about　death。　Yet　I　keep　my　smile　since　death　amuses　me。　He　points　a　finger　at　me。
　〃You　can　be　sure　that　if　anything　happened　to　me　the　police　would　be　at　your　door　the　same　day；〃　he　says。
　〃You　have　arranged　to　send　my　records　to　someone　else；〃　I　say。　〃Just　in　case　something　should　happen　to　you？〃
　〃Something　to　that　effect。〃　He　is　trying　to　be　witty。　He　is　also　lying。　I　slide　back　farther　into　my　chair。　He　thinks　I　am　relaxing；　but　I　position　myself　so　that　my　legs　are　straight　out。　If　I　am　to　strike；　I　have　decided；　it　will　be　with　my　right　foot。
　〃Mr。　Riley；〃　I　say。　〃We　should　not　argue。　You　want　something　from　me；　and　I　want　something　from　you。　I　am　prepared　to　pay　you　a　million　dollars；　to　be　deposited　in　whatever　account　you　wish；　in　whatever　part　of　the　world　you　desire；　if　you　will　tell　me　who　made　you　aware　of　me。〃
　He　looks　me　straight　in　the　eye；　tries　to；　and　surely　he　feels　the　heat　building　up　inside　me　because　he　flinches　before　he　speaks。　His　voice　es　out　uneven　and　confused。　He　does　not　understand　why　I　am　suddenly　so　intimidating。
　〃No　one　is　interested　in　you　except　me；〃　he　says。
　I　sigh。　〃You　are　armed；　Mr。　Riley。〃
　〃I　am？〃
　I　harden　my　voice。　〃You　have　a　gun　under　your　coat。　You　have　a　gun　on　your　desk　under　those　papers。　You　are　taping　this　conversation。　Now；　one　might　think　these　are　all　standard　blackmail　precautions；　but　I　don't　think　so。　I　am　a　young　woman。　I　don't　look　dangerous。　But　someone　has　told　you　that　I　am　more　dangerous　than　I　look　and　that　I　am　to　be　treated　with　extreme　caution。　And　you　know　that　that　someone　is　right。〃　I　pause。　〃Who　is　that　someone；　Mr。　Riley？〃
　He　shakes　his　head。　He　is　looking　at　me　in　a　new　light；　and　he　doesn't　like　what　he　sees。　My　eyes　continue　to　bore　into　him。　A　splinter　of　fear　has　entered　his　mind。
　〃H…how　do　you　know　all　these　things？〃　he　asks。
　〃You　admit　my　facts　are　accurate？〃　I　mimic　him。
　He　shakes　his　head　again。
　〃Now　I　allow　my　voice　to　change；　to　deepen；　to　resonate　with　the　fullness　of　my　incredibly　long　life。　The　effect　on　him　is　pronounced；　he　shakes　visibly；　as　if　he　is　suddenly　aware　that　he　is　sitting　next　to　a　monster。　But　I　am　not　just　any　monster。　I　am　a　vampire；　and　in　many　ways；　for　his　sake；　that　may　be　the　worst　monster　of　all。
　〃Someone　has　hired　you　to　research　me；〃　I　say。　〃I　know　that　for　a　fact。　Please　don't　deny　it　again；　or　you　will　make　me　angry。　I　really　am　uncontrollable　when　I　am　angry。　I　do　things　I　later　regret；　and　I　would　regret　killing　you；　Mr。　Riley…but　not　for　long。〃　I　pause。
　〃Now；　for　the　last　time；　tell　me　who　sent　you　after　me；　and　I　will　give　you　a　million　dollars　and　let　you　walk　out　of　here　alive。〃　He　stares　at　me　incredulously。　His　eyes　see　one　thing；　and　his　ears　hear　another；　I　know。　He　sees　a　pretty　blond　girl　with　startlingly　blue　eyes；　and　he　hears　the　velvety　voice　of　a　succubus　from　hell。　It　is　too　much　for　him。　He　begins　to　stammer
　〃Miss　Perne；〃　he　begins。　〃You　misunderstand　me。　I　mean　you　no　harm。　I　just　want　to　plete　a　simple　business　deal　with　you。　No　one　has　to　。。。　get　hurt。〃
　I　take　in　a　long；　slow　breath。　I　need　air；　but　I　can　hold　my　breath　for　over　an　hour　if　I　must。　Yet　now　I　let　out　the　breath　before　speaking　again；　and　the　room　cools　even　more。　And　Mr。　Riley　shivers。
　〃Answer　my　question；〃　I　say　simply。
　He　coughs。　〃There　is　no　one　else；〃
　〃You'd　better　reach　for　your　gun。〃
　〃Pardon？〃
　〃You　are　going　to　die　now。　I　assume　you　prefer　to　die　fighting。；〃
　〃Miss　Perne…〃
　〃I　am　five　thousand　years　old。〃
　He　blinks。　〃What？〃
　I　give　him　my　full；　uncloaked　gaze；　which　I　have　used　in　the　past…alone…to　kill。　〃I　am　a　vampire；〃　I　say　softly。　〃And　you　have　pissed　me　off。〃
　He　believes　me。　Suddenly　he　believes　every　horror　story　he　has　been　told　since　he　was　a　little　boy。　That　they　were　all　true：　the　dead　things　hungering　for　the　warm　living　flesh；　the　bony　hand　ing　out　of　the　closet　in　the　black　of　night；　the　monsters　from　another　page　of　reality；　the　unturned　page…who　could　look　so　human；　so　cute。
　He　reaches　for　his　gun。　Too　slowly；　much　too。
　I　shove　myself　out　of　my　chair　with　such　force　that　I　am　momentarily　airborne。　My　senses　switch　into　a　hyper…accelerated　mode。　Over　the　last　few　thousand　years；　whenever　I　am　threatened；　I　have　developed　the　ability　to　view　events　in　extreme　slow　motion。　But　this　does　not　mean　that　I　slow　down；　quite　the　opposite。　Mr。　Riley　sees　nothing　but　a　blur　flying　toward　him。　He　does　not　see　that　as　I'm　moving。　I　have　cocked　my　leg　to　deliver　a　devastating　blow。
　My　right　foot　lashes　out。　My　heel　catches　him　in　the　center　of　the　breastbone。　I　hear　the　bones　crack　as　he　topples　backward　onto　the　floor；　his　weapon　still　bolstered　inside　his　coat。　Although　I　moved　toward　him　in　a　horizontal　position；　I　land　smoothly　on　my　feet。　He　sprawls　on　the　floor　at　my　feet　beside　his　overturned　chair。　Gasping　for　breath；　blood　pouring　out　of　his　mouth。　I　have　crushed　the　walls　of　his　heart　as　well　as　the　bones　of　his　chest；　and　he　is　going　to　die。　But　not　just　yet。　I　kneel　beside　him　and　gently　put　my　hand　on　his　head。　Love　often　flows　through　me　for　my　victims。
　〃Mike；〃　I　say　gently。　〃You　would　not　listen　to　me。〃
　He　is　having　trouble　breathing。　He　drowns　in　his　own　blood…I　hear　it　gurgling　deep　in　his　lungs…and　I　am　tempted　to　put　my　lips　to　his　and　suck　it　away　for　him。　Such　a　temptation；　to　sate　my　thirst。　Yet　I　leave　him　alone。
　〃Who？〃　he　gasps　at　me。
　I　continue　to　stroke　his　head；　〃I　told　you　the　truth。　I　am　a　vampire。　You　never　stood　a　chance　against　me。　It's　not　fair；　but　it　is　the　way　it　is。〃　I　lean　close　to　his　mouth；　whisper　in　his　ear。〃Now　tell　me　the　truth　and　I　will　stop　your　pain。　Who　sent　you　after　me？〃
　He　stares　at　me　with　wide　eyes。　〃Slim；〃　he　whispers。
　〃Who　is　Slim？　A　man？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Very　good；　Mike。　How　do　you　contact　him？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Yes。〃　I　caress　his　cheek。　〃Where　is　this　Slim？〃
　He　begins　to　cry。　The　tears；　the　blood…they　make　a　pitiful　bination。　His　whole　body　trembles。　〃I　don't　want　to　die；〃　he　moans。　〃My　boy。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　Slim　and　I　will　take　care　of　your　boy；〃　I　say。　My　nature　is　kind；　deep　inside。　I　could　have　said　if　you　don't　tell　me　about　Slim；　I　will　find　your　dear　boy　and　slowly　peel　off　his　skin。　But　Riley　is　in　too　much　pain　to　hear　me；　and　I　immediately　regret；　striking　so　swiftly；　not　slowly　torturing　the　truth　out　of　him。　I　did　tell　him　that　I　was　impulsive　when　I'm　angry；　and　it　is　true。
　〃Help　me；〃　he　pleads；　choking。
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　can　only　kill；　I　cannot　heal；　and　you　are　too　badly　hurt。〃　I　sit　back　on　my　heels　and　glance　around　the　office。　I　see　on　the　desktop　a　picture　of　Mr。　Riley　posed　beside　a　handsome　boy　of　approximately　eighteen。　Removing　my　right　hand　from　Mr。　Riley；　I　reach　for　the　picture　and　show　it　to　him。　〃Is　this　your　son？〃　I　ask　innocently。
　Terror　consumes　his　features。　〃No！〃　he　cries。
　I　lean　close　once　more。　〃I　am　not　going　to　hurt　him。　I　only　want　this　Slim。　Where　is　he？〃
　A　spasm　of　pain　grips　Riley；　a　convulsion…his　legs　shake　off　the　floor　like　two　wooden　sticks　moved　by　a　poltergeist。　I　grab　him；　trying　to　settle　him　down；　but　I　am　too　late。　His　grimacing　teeth　tear　into　his　lower　lip；　and　more　blood　messes　his　face。　He　draws　in　a　breath　that　is　more　a　shovel　of　mud　on　his　coffin。　He　makes　a　series　of　sick　wet　sounds。　Then　his　eyes　roll　back　in　bis　head；　and　he　goes　limp　in　my　arms。　Studying　the　picture　of　the　boy；　I　reach　over　and　close　Mr。　Michael　Riley's　eyes。
　The　boy　has　a　nice　smile；　I　note。
　Must　have　taken　after　his　mother。
　Now　my　situation　is　more　plicated　than　when　I　arrived　at　the　detective's　office。　I　know　someone　is　after　me；　and　I　have　destroyed　my　main　lead　to　him　or　her。　Quickly　I　go　through　Riley's　desk　and　fail　to　find　anything　that　promises　to　be　a　lead；　other　than　Riley's　home　address。　The　reason　is　sitting　behind　the　desk　as　I　search。　Riley　has　a　puter　and　there　is　little　doubt　m　my　mind　that　he　stored　his　most　important　records　on　the　machine。　My　suspicion　is　further　confirmed　when　I　switch　on　the　puter　and　it　immediately　asks　for　an　access　code。　Even　though　I　know　a　great　deal　about　puters；　more　than　most　experts　in　the　field；　I　doubt　I　can　get　into　his　data　banks　without　outside　help。　I　pick　up　the　picture　of　father　and　son　again。　They　are　posed　beside　a　puter。　Riley　Junior；　I　suspect；　must　know　the　access　code。　I　decide　to　have　a　talk　with　him。
　After　I　dispose　of　his　father's　body。　My　exercise　in　cleanup　is　simplified　by　the　fact　that　Riley　has　no　carpet　on　his　office　floor。　A　brief　search　of　the　office　building　leads　me　to　a　closet　filled　with　janitorial　supplies。　Mop　and　pail　and　bucket　in　hand；　I　return　to　Mr。　Riley's　office　and